Akiyama Yoshifuru

Japanese: 秋山好古 - あきやま・よしふる

Year of death: November 4, 1930
Year of birth: January 7, 1859 (February 9, 1859)
He was an army officer during the Meiji and Taisho periods. He was the third son of Matsuyama Domain (Ehime Prefecture) samurai Akiyama Hisatake and Sada. He was the elder brother of Navy Vice Admiral Akiyama Saneyuki. He moved to Osaka in 1875 and graduated from Osaka Normal School the following year. He became an elementary school teacher, but was inspired by the Satsuma Rebellion (1877) to abandon teaching and pursue a military career. He graduated from the Army Academy in 1879 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the cavalry, graduating from the Army War College in 1880. He studied in France from 1885 to 1889, and was expected to have a bright future as a talented member of the cavalry. He served as a major and commander of the 1st Cavalry Battalion during the Sino-Japanese War (1894-95), and after the war he served for four years as the head of the Army Riding School and then the Cavalry Implementation School, which was later renamed the School, where he studied the organization of the cavalry and the principles of combat. It is said that he was able to change the operational unit of the cavalry from battalions to regiments, thereby increasing combat power and improving mobility. During the Boxer Rebellion (1900), he served as a colonel and the 5th Division's Logistics Superintendent, and then became Chief of Staff of the Qing Garrison Army and Commander of the same army. In 1900, he was promoted to major general, and the following year he was appointed commander of the 1st Cavalry Brigade, leading the brigade in the Russo-Japanese War (1904-05) and achieving many honors. At the Battle of Kokkotai, he withstood a major offensive by the Russian army to prevent a collapse in the front line, and at the Battle of Mukden, he cut off the retreat of the enemy's large cavalry corps, contributing to the victory. In 1904, he was promoted to cavalry superintendent, the highest rank in the cavalry corps, and the following year he attended the Second International Peace Conference in The Hague as a military committee member. In 1917, he became a lieutenant general, and served as commander of the 13th Division, commander of the Imperial Guard Division, and commander of the Korean Army. In 1916, he was promoted to general, and served as superintendent general of training and military councilor until 1919. He is known as the father of the Japanese Army's cavalry. In 1891, he was asked to become the principal of Kitayo Middle School in his hometown of Matsuyama, and served in that position until six months before his death.

(Tobe Ryoichi)

Source: Asahi Japanese Historical Biography: Asahi Shimbun Publications Inc. About Asahi Japanese Historical Biography

Japanese:

没年：昭和5.11.4(1930)
生年：安政6.1.7(1859.2.9)
明治大正期の陸軍軍人。松山藩(愛媛県)藩士秋山久敬と貞の3男。海軍中将秋山真之の実兄。明治8(1875)年大阪に出て翌年大阪師範学校を卒業。小学校の教員となるが,西南戦争(1877)に刺激を受け教鞭を捨て軍人の道に進んだ。同12年陸軍士官学校を卒業して騎兵少尉に任官し,18年陸軍大学校を卒業。20～24年フランスに留学,騎兵科の逸材として将来を期待された。日清戦争(1894～95)には少佐,騎兵第1大隊長として従軍し,戦後は陸軍乗馬学校長,それを改称した騎兵実施学校長を4年間務め,騎兵科の編成,戦闘原則などを研究。騎兵の作戦単位を大隊編成から連隊編成に変え戦力の増強と機動力の向上をはかったのはその成果とされる。北清事変(1900)には大佐,第5師団兵站監として出征し,次いで清国駐屯軍参謀長,同軍司令官となった。35年少将に進み,翌年騎兵第1旅団長に就任,日露戦争(1904～05)では同旅団を率いて多くの勲功をたてた。黒溝台の戦いではロシア軍の大攻勢に耐えて戦線の破綻を防ぎ,奉天の会戦では敵の大騎兵団の退路を遮断し勝利に貢献。39年騎兵監となって騎兵科の最高位に昇り,翌年にはハーグの第2回万国平和会議に軍事委員として出席した。42年中将となり,第13師団長,近衛師団長,朝鮮軍司令官を歴任,大正5(1916)年には大将に昇進し12年まで教育総監,軍事参議官を務めた。日本陸軍騎兵の父。13年請われて郷里松山の北予中学校長となり,亡くなる半年前までその職にあった。<参考文献>伝記刊行会編『秋山好古』

(戸部良一)

出典　朝日日本歴史人物事典：（株）朝日新聞出版朝日日本歴史人物事典について　情報

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